Dien Bien ready for peak tourism season

The northwestern province of Dien Bien, most famous for the Dien Bien Phu victory against French colonists, is preparing for its peak tourism season.

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A stage is being decorated for the Ban flower festival

According to Vu Thi Tuyet Nga, Deputy Director of the Museum of Dien Bien Phu Victory, the number of tourists visiting the Dien Bien Phu battlefield complex began to surge this March.

The complex features 45 relic sites, of which eight have been put into operation to serve tourists. They include Museum of Dien Bien Phu Victory, victory statue, A1 Hill, Him Lam relic site and the command tunnel of French General De Castries.

The battle occurred in Dien Bien between March and May, 1954 under the command of General Vo Nguyen Giap. Its victory led to the signing of the 1954 Geneva Accords in which France agreed to withdraw its forces from the colonies in Indochina.

To sever increasing demand ahead of the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954 – 2019), the museum has mobilised more tour guides as well as repaired and supplemented its display items, Nga added.

Meanwhile, between the end of 2018 and early 2019, the province upgraded a series of important relic sites within the complex, including Muong Thanh bridge and A1 Hill.

Various events have also been scheduled to entertain visitors.

A highlight of them is the Ban Flower Festival 2019, which will take place from March 13-18. The annual festival, named after the most beautiful flower in the region, is set to feature the cultural life in the north and northwestern region – home to 19 ethnic minorities.

Between March 18 and May 7, the museum plans to hold a series of activities, including an exhibition on Dien Bien Phu victory and tours around the complex.

Dien Bien is planning to develop tourism into a spearhead economic sector, expecting to create a driving force to boost other industries in the locality.

In the first quarter of 2019, the local battlefield complex welcomed about 87,000 visitors, including some 3,000 foreigners. The number of tourists to the site increased in recent years, from 310,000 in 2016 to 380,000 in 2017 and more than 400,000 in 2018.